Sucker-rod elevator



L F DAVIS SUCKER ELEVATOR Filed Sept. 5 1925 Fab. Q 1926.

Pas-sad rmaleze. I I

UNITED STATES PATENT. ori ice.

Application filed September 3, 1925. Serial No. 54,170.

I To all whom it may concern:

\ Santa Ana,

Be it known that I, LEWIS F. DAvIs,'a citizen of the United States, residing at in the county of. Orange and State of California, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Sucker- Rod Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an oil well ap pliance known as a sucker rod elevator and which is used in the handling or manipula-' tion of the pump or sucker rods while the same are being withdrawn from a well or lowered thereinto, the principal objects of my invention being to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing forms of similar devices and to provide an elevator that may be easily and cheaply produced and which is practically automatic in its engagement with a sucker or pump rod.

Further objects of my invention are to provide an elevator of the character referred tothat has comparatively few operating parts thereby minimizing the liability of the elevator becoming inoperative due to disarrangement of parts, to provide an elevator wherein the looking or latching member is pivoted to the elevator housing with relation to the pivotal point rod engaging member so as to provide a toggle arrangement that will effectually resist all tendencies of the engaged rod to move forwardly out .of the rod receiving slot or opening in the housing, and further to construct the upper portion of the elevator block or housing so that the weight of the engaged sucker rod will normally tend to force said rod to the rear end of the slot or opening inthe housing and consequently counteractany tendencies of said rod to move forwardly out of said slot. 1

A further object of my invention is to provide a sucker rod elevator with a lock or latching member that may engaged and shifted into position to release the rod engaging member and further to provide an elevatorv that is of strong, rugged and substantial structure so as to be capable of withstanding the rough usage to which devices of this character are subjected while in service.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully a metal be very readily described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1. is a perspective view of a sucker rod elevator of my improved construction. Fig. 2. is an enlarged horizontal section 'tI-{ahen approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3. is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanyino drawing which illustrates a practical embodiment of my invention,

single piece andwhich forms the body of the elevator. This block is made hollow thereby providing a chamber 11 that is open front and rear and formed integral with and projecting outwardly from the sides of the lock are trunnions 12 that serve as points of pivotal connection for the lower ends of the legs of a bail '13.

Formed in the block and extending inwardly from its front end to a point adjacent to the center of said block is a slot or open- 1O designates block that is preferably cast in a ing 14 which is for the reception of the well or sucker rod. The rear end of that portion of this slot it that is formed in the wall of the block above the opening 11 is formed slightly larger in diameter than are the sucker rods that are engaged by the elevator,

and formed on the u per surface of the body of the block imme iately in front of this enlarged rear end of the slot are upwardly projecting lugs 15 having inclined rear or inner shoulders 16. "These shoulders are adapted to bear against the curved or inclined shoulders that are formed on the sucker rods adjacentto the joints thereof and as a result of such engagement the weight of the engaged sucker rod causes the same to gravitate slot 14 and consequently counteract any tendency of the engaged sucker rod to move. forwardly through the slot or for the eletoward the rear end of vator to move rearwardly away from the rod engaging illustrated in transverse alignment with the rear end of the rod receiving slot or openin 14. The inner or free end of this dog is bi rcated or made substantially U-shaped to provide a relatively short front arm 19 and a slightly longer rear arm 20. These arms are spaced apart to form a substantially U-shaped opening 21 that is adapted to coincide with the rear end of the rod-receiving slot 14 when a rod is engaged by the elevator. The outer end of the shorter arm is provided with an inclined face or shoulder 22 and the outer end of the lon er arm 20 is provided with a corresponding inclined face or shoulder 23.

Seated in t e forward portion of the block 10 immediately adjacent the mouth or opening into slot 14 is a pin or rivet 24 and ivotally mounted thereupon is the forend of a do -latching or locking member 25. This late ing member extends in a general direction rearwardly through the central portion of the chamber 11 in the block and interposed between the said portion of said latchin member and the adjacent side wall of b ock 10 is an ex ansive coil spring 26 that tends to force sai latching member toward the rod-receiving slot 14 and the dog 17.

The lines that intersect pivot pins 18 and 24 and thecenter of the rod-rece1ving opening at the rear end of slot 14 form an obtuse angle, thereby producing a tog le arrangement between the dog 17 an latch member 25, when a rod is locked in the elevator, and the Eparts occupy the positions as The intermediate portion of latching member 25 and which occupies a position to the side of the rear end of slot 14 is bent outwardly as designated by 27 .for the accommodation of the free ends of the arms 19 and 20 and the rear end of said latching member terminates in a thumb or finger late 28 that normally occupies a position in the rear central portion of opening 11. Formed on the inner face of member 25 directly in front of the bent intermediate portion 27, is a shoulder 29, that is adapted to en age the inclined face or shoulder 22 to loc the dog 17 in rod-engaging position. Formed immediately adjacent to this shoulder 29 is a lug 30, behind which en gages the end of longer arm 20 whendog 17 is in openposition or position to receive a rod as it passes into the slot 14, andwhen the dog is thus positioned, inclined face 23 rests on shoulder 29. v

Dotted lines in Fig. 2 show the relative positions of parts 17 and 25 when in position to receive a sucker rod..

When a sucker rod is engaged by the elevator and locked therein the under surface of the inclined or tapered shoulder on the aged'rod rests on the inclined shoulder 16 en of%ugs 15 as illustrated in Fig. 3 and the tion shown (by weight of the engaged rod tends to cause the same to move inwardly to the rear end of the slot 14 and retain such position. The englaged rod occupies the Us aped openin 21 etween the arms '19 and 20 of dog 17 an latching member 25 under the influence of spring 26 occupies the position as illustrated by solid lines in Fig. 2 with shoulder 29 in' engagement with shoulder 22 on arm 19.

Thus the rod engaging dog is very securely held and locked in rod engaging position and this locking effect is enhanced by the relative angular arrangements of the pivot pins 18 and 24 with respect to the axis of the engaged rod, for, as heretofore stated, such an arrangement is in effect a tog 1e, that cannot be broken or. released by orward stresses or strains imparted by the en ged rod.

0 release dog 17 and ermit the parts to move into osition to re ease the engaged rod, thumb p ate 28 is engaged and moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 and thus shoulder 29 is. moved awa from shoulder 22, thus freeing dog 17 and as the rod is moved forward through slot 14 or as the elevator is moved away from the rod, said do will swing into the posiotted lines in -Fig. 2 with inclined face 23 in engagement with inclined face 29v behind lug 30 and thus the force exerted by spring 26-is utilized to hold (or cock) the dog 17 in its open position with arm 20 in position to be engaged by a sucker rod when the latter is moved into slot 14.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a sucker rod elevator that is relatively simple in construction, comprising but three main parts and a s ring, and which elevator may be easily an cheaply produced and which is very effective in performing its intended functions.

The bearing of the enga ed rod against shoulder 16 prevents un ue strains d veloped b the rod from being impressed on the dog 17 and the latter is very firml retained in its rod engaging ositlon by atch member 25 and the toggle-like arrangement between said member and do It is to be understood that t e form of the invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various modifications in the shape, size and arrangement of parts ma be resorted to without departing from t e spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjolned claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rod elevator, a block provided with a chamber and with a rod-receiving slot extending inwardly from its front face, a rod engaging dog arranged within the chamber in said block and pivotally mounted-therein to one side of the rod-receiving slot and a spring pressed d end being pivotally connected to said block to one side of the open front end of the rodreceiving slot.

2. In a rod elevator, a hollow block having a rod-receiving slot extending inwardly from its front face, a dog pivoted within said hollow block and having arms that are adapted to en age a rod positioned at the rear end of t e slot in said block and a spring held dog latching member pivotall connected to the front portion of said bloc ad'acent to the side of the outer end of said ro -receiving slot.

, 3. In a rod elevator, a block provided with a rod-receiving slot extendin inwardly from its front face and rearwar y "inclined rodbearing shoulders formed --on top of said. block to the sides of the slot therein im mediately in front of the rear end of said slot.

4. In a red elevator, a block provided with latching member arranged within the c amber and its forward a rod-receiving slot extending inwardl from its front face, rearwardly inclined r0 -bearing shoulders formed on top of said block to the sides of the slot therein immediately in front of the rear end of said slot and means within the block for locking the rod that occupies said slot and rests upon said shoulders.

5. In a rod elevator, a block provided with a rod-receiving slot that extends inwardl from its front ace. and rod-engaging should ers formed on top of said block for normally forcing an engaged rod toward the rear of said slot. 1

' 6. In a rod elevator, a block provided with a rod-receiving slot that extends inwardly from its fron face, rod-engaging shoulders formed on of said blockfor normally forcing an en ged rod toward the rear of said slot and means within said block for locking theengaged rod.

In testimony whereof I aflixkmy signature.

LEWIS F. DAVIS. 

